Many materials exist in nature that, when heated to a known elevated temperature, will undergo a metamorphic transformation to a different, yet stable and recognizable material that is a potentially useful material in its own form. Typically, the method of affecting this transformation has been to elevate the temperature of the material far above the transformation temperature range point to effectuate a rapid, cataclysmic transformation of the material to a new, metamorphosed state. Through use of this so-called “brute force” method of effecting mineral matter transformations, high volumes of mineral compositions, such as, for example, vermiculitic precursor materials, may be metamorphosed in a short period of time. This process is sometimes referred to as an “exfoliation” process, especially with regard to vermiculitic materials.
Such “brute force” exfoliation methods, however, typically require relatively high energy expenditures, as the temperatures reached by the reaction vessels utilized generally exceed the required temperature for mineral matter transformation by several hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, because prior art “brute force” mineral matter transformation techniques are designed for high-throughput operations, they are not generally intended to produce high-quality, carefully controlled metamorphosed materials.
What is needed in the art is a method of controllably interacting with the mineral matter transformation of mineral compositions to enable the selective alteration of material properties through controlled formation of monatomic defects in the crystal lattice of such compositions. It would also be advantageous to achieve such a method while reducing and/or minimizing required energy expenditures.